Customer Reviews

Playing Catch: A Midwife's Memoirs

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

this book is full of inaccuracy, and portrays midwife-assisted birth (and doulas) unfairly. most of the novel is just that-- total fiction. if this were someone's ACTUAL memoir and the events in it happened the way they did, it might be useful. the overall quality of writing is pretty lousy, and the plot is sort of pathetically primetime. it really is like watching ER or Gray's Anatomy, with sensationalized medical scenes, helpless patients, and most of the real drama coming from the very troubled characters. Having read the awe-inspiring, life-changing memoirs of actual midwives, I was very dissapointed to discover that this is fiction (subtitle would seem less false if it said something like "a story of..." instead of "memoirs of...") It wasn't worth my time as a novel, and does a disservice to midwives and doulas by presenting itself, however vaguely, as a factual account or even based on fact. It's not as bad as an outright attack on midwifery, but it's subtly close. Don't waste book money on this trash. Note: if, somehow, this even resembles the life and practice of a nurse midwife, then it worries me even more. If you really want to read a midwife's memoir, try A Midwife's Story, Listen to me Good, or Vagina Politics. Or anything written by Elizabeth Davis or Ina May Gaskin; these women's practice philosophies shine through their writing.

Once I started, I couldn't put this book down. It is funny, touching, bawdy, thought provoking and sometimes terrifying. I have no medical background, for that matter, I have no children, but I was completely swept up by this book. It is a great read!

I think I'm not the only one who thought this book was a memoir/biography, especially since the word memoir is in the title of the book. Nope--it's a novel, and not a very well-written one. Characters aren't developed fully, story isn't developed fully but told in a general way. Not until I finished the book completely (thinking to myself, wow, this book wasn't very informative) did I finally notice that it was a work of fiction. And then I was even MORE disappointed, since I love a great read and this was a poor excuse for a novel. Extremely disappointed, wish I had my money back.

I read a lot of books about birth and midwives. I was so looking forward to reading this book, but was extremely offended by the abundant foul language and crude descriptions of the author's sex life. The good, decent, informative parts of the book were so surrounded by the sewage that I could never recommend this book to anyone. My copy will go in the garbage.

Forget what you think you know about midwives. Urang knows what you're thinking; she's seen it all. She's even developed a system for ranking the health profession's most tragic fashion victims:

With the "Fashion score," you got extra points for choosing completely synthetic fabrics, for always wearing a fanny-pack no matter how formal the occasion, and for sporting items with variants of the word "VAGINA" or "VULVA" on them, such as stunning plastic briefcases and canvas tote bags, given away at midwifery and gynecology conventions by manufacturers of things for the vagina and vulva (in case you were wondering how to get them for yourselves).
The highest-scoring hairdos were those featuring braids (single or double) or Little Dutch Boy bangs. The highest-scoring shoes were, of course, Birkenstocks, but open-toed sandals with socks earned some big points as well. You got bonus points for wearing your ANMA badge well outside the convention hall- such as at an outlet mall 35 miles away-or for wearing knee-high nylons with either Birkenstocks or bright-white Reeboks. Blouses that racked up major points included polyester gray "satin" ones with built-in ascots, starched pink polyester shirts with stand-up neck ruffles, and white polyester short-sleeved shirts with Peter Pan collars.

And she's out to let you know midwives aren't all the same. Some of them have a sense of humor and fashion.
Sally Urang has given us a window into the culture and business of delivering babies, with all its tenderness, terror and frustrations. She brings babies into the world for parents who are confused and determined, uneducated and know-it-all, misguided and single-minded, bossy and complacent, and entertains and enlightens while doing so.
Urang's cool professionalism and cynical view of the medical establishment contrast with her sensitivity and affection for her patients and their babies. She gives the details (gory and joyful) of the obstetrics ward.
Truly a fascinating look at a world most people don't think about until they're pregnant. If you are pregnant, have been pregnant or are curious about what it's like to be pregnant, you'll enjoy this inspired novel.

I've never laughed so hard in my life from one book. Playing Catch also includes many serious and sad moments but I could not put this book down until I was finished (or had to go to work). This will be a hilarious as well as heart warming book for any medical professional, New Yorker or just about anyone who enjoys superb writing(and from the heart). Ms. Urang- please write a sequel!

I agree with the other reviewer: this book is insulting to midwives and doulas. Not only that, it's full of childbirth inaccuracies and terrible writing!

From a literary standpoint, this book is awful. The writing is just terrible. There is no character development whatsoever. The main character is supposedly passionate about women and babies however based on Sarah's actions, her passion is no where to be found. And the author only tells us Sarah is passionate about mothers and babies halfway into the book!

There are inconsistencies with Sarah's character as well. One example is one of her attending OB's administers an episiotomy without the mother's consent in the beginning of Sarah's career. Sarah states this matter of factly and moves on. Yet towards the end of the book, the newer attending doctor cuts an episiotomy without the mother's consent and Sarah gets upset. Why didn't Sarah care before about consent?

Another inconsistency in Sarah's character is her attitude towards stillbirth. Sarah has clients with stillbirth babies in Haiti and doesn't bat an eyelash. Yet one client birthing a stillborn baby when she's back working in New York shakes her to the core.

Sarah's characterizations of her patients are disrespectful and exaggerated. Similarly, Sarah's characterizations of doulas and midwives are also disrespectful. Sarah describes the one doula in the book as being uninformed, demanding and inflexible. In fact, doulas are well versed in childbirth and some have given birth themselves. The use of doulas in hospital births are a symptom of a broken maternity care system in America, not a contributing factor.

Urang's thinly veiled attack at Henci Goer's "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" is unwarranted and petty. Goer's book is meticulously researched and all of the research sited in her book is included in the appendix. Yes, Goer is a layperson, however research does not lie. Goer's book is an asset to pregnant women and Goer's efforts should be commended, not ridiculed.

To add insult to injury, several medical inaccuracies are present in this book! One such inaccuracy is Urang's insistence that an epidural does not "get" to the baby. In fact, several studies have shown that babies do "get" an epidural if mom is getting one.

The last issue I had with this book I'll write about (I have several more actually!) is the lack of physiologically normal childbirth. No where in this book was a physiologically normal childbirth discussed. Might as well watch "A Baby Story" or ER.

Save your money and read Peggy Vincent's "Baby Catcher".

Just to put this review in perspective, I bore easily and I truly enjoyed this book. I'm a busy working mom, but I found myself actually making time to read this book. Sally is a vivid writer, she is very frank and funny, which I enjoy. Not too many "flowery metaphors", which I guess would be hard to accomplish when speaking of childbirth. But I love how her writing was descriptive and to the point. Great book! Not recommended if you're the queasy type.

This book was insulting to the profession and to women. Insulting prominent women's health authors with thinly veiled name changes, insulting the women and "patients" in her book.
As a birth professional I regret buying this book.

This is probably the most hilarious book I have ever read! I laughed out loud numerous times while reading about Sarah and Moe's adventures in nursing school, as nurses, and finally, as midwives. As a L&D nurse (and future midwife!) I can relate to so many of these vignettes that Miss Urang has written. Very well-crafted, superb writing. Would love to see a sequel to this book!!